Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, has celebrated the return of 113 migrants to France under a bilateral agreement, viewing it as a significant milestone. This initiative aims to deter illegal Channel crossings by sending individuals back to the point of departure.
Despite this success, official data reveals that over 8,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel to the UK since September 18th. The agreement between the UK and France, struck earlier this year, involves the UK accepting 84 individuals who arrived through legal routes in exchange for those returned.
Adding to the challenges, two migrants who had been deported under the UK-France deal have since returned to Britain. The Home Office has stated that 13 flights have conducted returns so far, with more planned.
Minister for migration Mike Tapp described the 113 figure as an early stage of the scheme, designed to instill doubt in potential migrants about the cost and futility of their journey. Home Secretary Mahmood emphasized the government's commitment to escalating actions to tackle crossings and remove those without a right to remain in the UK, drawing inspiration from Denmark's approach to asylum seekers.
